Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer watches as his team prepares for the Big Ten Conference championship game on Dec. 7 in Indianapolis. / AP Photo

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Erick Smith

USA TODAY

Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer celebrates as time runs off the clock in the 26-21 win over Michigan in 2012 at Ohio Stadium. / AP Photo

Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller (5) talks with his coach Urban Meyer during the second half of a Nov. 16 game in Champaign, Ill. / AP Photo

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It had been 705 days since Ohio State felt the pain of a defeat. In the aftermath of an emotional loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten title game Saturday night, Urban Meyer opened up the Buckeyes’ locker room to anyone who wanted to speak.

A few coaches and players took the floor to say words about finishing the season the right way. That finish won’t include playing in Pasadena for a national title on Jan. 6. Instead, three days earlier, Ohio State will face Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

Meyer admitted his team was “heartbroken” after a run of 24 consecutive wins was ended by the Spartans after it led in the fourth quarter.

The reaction is understandable. The team harbored dreams of a national championship for 12 months after running the table in 2012, but being forced to watch the bowl season from the sideline due to an NCAA postseason ban from violations by former coach Jim Tressel.

The challenge for Meyer will be mending those broken hearts and channeling the disappointment. He noted his task isn’t easy.

“Momentum is an extremely valuable thing, and when you lose a game, it’s difficult,” Meyer said. “I have great confidence. A lot of these players have been through a lot of stuff.

“Last year they went 12-0 and were unable to play in a bowl game. Now their first chance to play in a bowl game, they’re in a BCS game against a great team.”

One advantage for Meyer is his experience at Florida four seasons ago. The Gators were the defending national champions and went 12-0 during the regular season before falling to Alabama in the SEC title game.

In the aftermath of the loss, Meyer was hospitalized and then three weeks later announced he was stepping down after the team’s upcoming appearance in the Sugar Bowl. He changed his mind one day later, and Florida went on to rout Cincinnati 51-24.

A victory that easy against Clemson would be a surprise.

The Tigers have an offense, led by senior quarterback Tajh Boyd, ranked 11th in scoring at 40.2 points per game. Boyd and explosive wide receiver Sammy Watkins will put pressure on a secondary that is the weakest part of an Ohio State defense that has allowed 76 points in its last two games.

Meyer got a first-hand look at the Clemson offense while serving as an ESPN announcer during the 2011 season. He left Death Valley impressed.

“Their athleticism at receiver is ridiculous and their quarterback,” Meyer said. “The element of the quarterback run and the throw is something we’ve lived on for years. Their scheme is terrific.”

Clemson also enters the game off a loss (its fifth consecutive to rival South Carolina) and brings memories of its last trip to the Orange Bowl from two seasons ago — a 70-33 loss to West Virginia.

Tigers coach Dabo Swinney wants to make better memories this time.

“We’ve never had back-to-back 11-win seasons,” Swinney said. “There is a lot of opportunity. It’s just our second BCS bowl. We want to play well. We want to represent the ACC well.

“You’re playing very possibly the best team in the country.”

The question is whether the Ohio State team that shows up to play resembles Swinney’s opinion. Meyer hopes so.

“Not many teams get a chance to win 13 games in a season and obviously finish ranked very highly,” Meyer said. “So especially with a lot of these players and what they’ve gone through the last two years, they’re very disappointed, but they understand the opportunity that’s been given to them.”